Abstract
The pediatric clinical entity called “Mater Puerorum” appears first in the latin translation of Rhazes' “Practica Puerorum” and in his “Continens”. His descriptions of the disease could give some likeness either to a diagnosis of night terrors, or of hyperpyretic convulsions, or of a slight form of epilepsy. Mater Puerorum is afterwards described by most pediatric authors till the Renaissance period without much originality, Rhazes being one of their main sources anyway. Mater Puerorum has been considered by Still and Radbill as a synonym for hysterical fits in children. Going back to the Arabic original naming: Ummu's Sibyan, we venture another etymology based on Babylonian-Judeo-Arabic demonology. The “Mother of the Children” could be the female demon Karinao—or Lilith—which is said to come to plague the children at night. The naming Mater Puerorum could thus be ascribed to a folklore origin, rather than to hysteria.
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References
Still GF (1931) The History of Paediatrics. Oxford Univ Press, repr 1965, pp 43–46
Strohmaier G (1970) Dura-Mater, Pia-Mater: die Geschichte zweier anatomischer Termini. Medizin Hist Journal 5:201–216
For instance: Mater Siderum = night; Mater Exercitus = flag; Mater caloris=fever; Mater Capitis=skull. See: Hyrtl S (1879) Das Arabische und Hebräische in der Anatomie, Wien, pp 108–110
‘Practica Puerorum’, or ‘De Curis Puerorum in Prima Aetate’, divided in 24 chapters. In his Opuscula (Mediolani, 1481). See studies on this treatise by: Südhoff K (1925) Erstlinge der Pädiatrischen Literatur. München [Tafel II–VIII] Passalacqua VT (1959) Rhazes: Practica puerorum; traduzione e commento. Roma, 43 pages Radbill SX (1971) The First Treatise of Pediatrics (comment and translation). Am J Dis Child, Vol 122, No 5, pp 369–376
We used the famous Latin edition Brescia 1486, the translator being Farraj (Ferragius Judeus) of Agrigente (1279)
Still thought that this Georgius could be George Bachtischu, or more accurately Jirjīs ibn Jibrīl ibn Bakhtyashu', a Christian Nestorian who had been the leader of the medical school of Jundīshāpūr and was called to Bagdad in 765. He translated several Greek medical works into Arabic. According to Leclerc he composed the work “Pandectes”, which has not reached our times.
Still translates: ‘various humours’...
And not Russach as printed in Still (p 79). By the way, in that little town of Alsace was founded in the 15th century one of the first institutions for epileptic patients, dedicated to St. Valentin. There is still nowadays an institution for the insane in Ruffach
See: Schiller F (1979) Stepmother Nature, a medico historical scan. Clio Medica 13:3-4, pp 201–218
Guillelmi Ader Medici (1620) Enarrationes de aegrotis et morbis in Evangelio. Tolosae, pp 344–345 About Ader G, see: Temkin O (1937) G. Ader and his contribution to bilical medicine. Bull Hist Med, vol V, no 3
Ruhräh translates: “The Mistress of Children” in his work Pediatrics of the Past, New-York, 1925. This was perhaps an attempt to promote a magical etymology, some female demon being “master” of the child during these attacks
What Hippocrates called “pathos paedion” was without any doubt epilepsy in children, but this does not seem to be related to our mater puerorum
Kitabu'l Hawi Fi't Tibb (“Continens’ of Rhazes) publ by Osmania Oriental Publication Bureau, Hyderabad, Deccan, India (1955) Part I, chap 7
Kriss R, Kriss HH: Volksglaube im Bereich des Islam, Band II, pp 22–23
Scholem G (1974) “Kabbalah”, Library of Jewish Thought, Jerusalem, pp 356–361. And Encycl Judaica (1972) T11, pp 246–249
Campbell-Thompson R: Semitic Magic. Luzac's oriental religious series, vol III, p 42
Hippocrates: Jones transl, Loeb Classical Libr, Vol II, pp 147
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Kottek, S.S. Mater Puerorum. Eur J Pediatr 137, 75–79 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441174
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441174